November 19, 1926.
Brown Memorial Baptist Church burned to the ground early Sunday night following the night services and after the congregation had gone to their homes. The pastorium on the northside of the church, the pastor was roused by breaking glass and a rumbling noise. Upon investigation he discovered the church ablaze and gave the alarm to the chief of police. The force turned out and all the people came to see the pride of the county in church buildings burn to the ground, leaving the high walls a crumbling, dangerous mass. It was afire all over pretty soon after it caught. There must have been a big combustion and immediate broadcasting of the blaze for the whole inside became enveloped with the flames simultantously.
Nearby homes were unreachable for sometime but the misty rain that was falling at the time helped the fire department to protect them and all were saved. The homes of Mrs. R. T. Lovett, Mr. T. L. Martin, Mrs. J. M. Mason, Mr. B. J. Moye and Mr. J. T. Fulford, along with the pastorium were all endangered. The fire started soon after 10 pm, by 11, it was most all over and the massive ruins of this costly and pretty church home is all the people have to see.
The structure was begun in the Spring of 1913 and completed in 1914. It was a memorial to Mr. & Mrs. A. M. Brown who left their estate of $10,000 to help build a new church. After that was expended, Wrightsville turned in on the project with the unstinted aid of the late lamented Bartow Tanner and put $10,000 more on the building and every year since fixtures, furniture, automatic pump, heating apparatus, fine seats, chairs and many other accessories added.
The church carried insurance of $10,000 but the total loss is estimated at $40,000. But the church was at its highest peak, out of debt, all expenses,salary and finances being up to date. The consensus is to rebuild much the same as it stood when the fire struck it.
Early Sunday afternoon Mr. Carroll Shealey lost his home and contents from a fire that originated in the kitchen. Soon after dinner Mrs. Shealey left for her grandmother's home, Mrs. Page, while there she was notified. Mr. Shealey was in the field close by but was engulfed before he could remove many belongings.
The Board of Trustees of the high school put in a new heating apparatus after the old one gave out. The school had closed down a few times for no heat.
Mrs. W. T. N. Logue of near Moore's Chapel died at the family residence last week. She had suffered for several years. Her husband and several children survive her.
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